The Last Note
by WinkiesAndLunacorns
Summary: Kowalski remembered the first time he had used time travel to get to the boy. His team mate had asked if he was living in a cottage in Nova Scottia, happily with a wife, a child, and another on the way. But no. As much as the scientist wished otherwise, in the future, his young comrade was dead.
1. Writing

**Here's another short story that I wrote on hiatis. It _is_ a multichapter, but a very short one. I'm expecting two or three chapters. And no, it's not connected to any of my other stories. Reviews = :D ! Hope you enjoy!**

Kowalski switched on the lamp with his shaking hand and messily ripped out a few pieces of paper from his clipboard. He tore open every one of his wooden drawers until he found a ballpoint pen, not even bothering to close the boxes that strewed supplies everywhere. The scientist quickly wiped away the tears in his eyes and sat down to write, trying not to think about what had happened in the battlefield earlier that day. There was no time to waste. But where to start?

Kowalski remembered the first time he had used time travel to get to the boy. His team mate had asked if he was living in a cottage in Nova Scottia, happily with a wife, a child, and another on the way. But no. As much as the scientist wished otherwise, in the future, his young comrade was dead.

_Dear Private_,

Kowalski started to write, but did a face palm and scribbled it out again. _How stupid am I? He wasn't Private back then, he was..._ The scientist stopped in his tracks. When _was_ he planning on delivering it? He quickly decided on the time and restarted the letter, hunched over in the dim lab.

_Dear Mr. Tux,_

_ I am sending this letter as a warning. This may sound a bit farfetched, but I am writing this to you from the future. Proof? I know that today you quit mini golf because you won at the cost of a little girl's ice cream. I know that now you're looking into a new future in New York, where you plan on enrolling into the army. I beg of you, do_ not _join the army. I am one of your future team mates, and something terrible happens. Let's just say that I shouldn't be here anymore, but I am. You're not._

The scientist paused to wipe away the hot tears running down his face. He tried to block away the scene that was so clear in his mind's eye, the image that flashed at him with every breath he took. The image of Private jumping out and taking a bullet for him. Kowalski shook his head, ignoring his blurred vision and tight throat, and continued. He _had _to finish this. For Private. It was the only way he might be able to save the boy.

_So_ please_, if you're reading this, do NOT join the army. It's been an honor working side by side with you, but I'd much rather have you find your happy ending in Nova Scottia._

_Warmest regards,_

_Kowalski_


	2. Sending

**Thank you for all the reviews and favorites! And to clarify, there will only be three or four chapters, depending on if I have an epilouge. Sorry, but some things are just better when not tampered with. I just don't want to stretch it out too much. Anyways, I hope you enjoy!**

Kowalski went into the closet to get the Chronotron, which he had worked so hard to retrieve. He lugged out the heavy contraption, carrying it over to the desk. The scientist bent down, clutching his letter, and set the dials to the right location. He looked up as the machine started up and lights flashed with the Chronotron's steady humming. He glanced from the wrinkled letter in his hands back to the time machine in front of him. This was Private's last hope.

"Here goes," Kowalski murmured as he stepped into the past.

When he opened his eyes, he found himself in dusty Texas. Ahead of him lay the mini golf course where Mr. Tux had played his (not quite) last game.

At one of the holes, Kowalski could make out a lanky figure. It was a young man with sandy hair and cowboy attire. The figure bent down and putt a golf ball, which rolled neatly into the hole. It was the Amarillo Kid, no doubt. The Amarillo Kid stood up, a smug grin on his face, as he stepped aside. Behind him was a boy that made Kowalski want to cry.

Private looked the same: light blonde hair, pale blue eyes, skinny build, and the most sincere face he'd ever seen. The only difference was that he looked younger and didn't have the worn look that all military members seemed to have. Private stepped up to the ball, concentrating on his next putt. Kowalski was frozen in his spot. He bit his lip and resisted the urge to run over and hug the boy and never let go.

The scientist forced himself to look away and trudged over to Private's old home, which wasn't too far from the golf course. He had no doubt that it was Private's when he saw it, since it matched the boy's description exactly. It was a tiny shack-like cottage, painted a pale green to match the abundant cacti that lined the pathway. Elegant cream trimming lined the edges of the house, and the roof was a dusty brown.

Kowalski walked over to the small mailbox in front, and put his letter inside. It lay there, looking lonely in the dark and otherwise empty box. He put the red flag up before turning around and finding his way back to the golf course. Now all he could do was hope that he wasn't too late.

As the scientist started the Chronotron, he glanced back for a final look at his comrade. Private was intensely watching the Amarillo Kid putt. For some unknown reason, the boy suddenly looked up and made eye contact with Kowalski. Blue eyes met green. They gazed at each other for a while before Kowalski broke away and turned to his time machine. Right before he entered the swirling mass of purple, he looked back for a final time at Private. The boy's blond head was lowered as he putt the ball that would lead him to leave Texas. Then he faded away as Kowalski time traveled back.

The scientist felt hollow when he stepped back onto the hard concrete floor of the HQ. He shut down the Chronotron for the last time and wandered over to the bunks with a sigh. Hopefully, his world would disappear soon once the changes took place and Private's fate was altered.

Kowalski sat down on Private's old bunk and sat down. He ran his fingers over the boy's pillow before picking up his beloved Lunacorn. It smiled at him blankly, and he hated the way it was still happy. Didn't it know that Private was dead? What was there to be happy about?

The scientist sighed and laid back on his lost comrade's bed. The faint scent of Private enveloped him and he closed his eyes, trying to imagine that the boy was beside him again. Kowalski was vaguely surprised that Skipper and Rico hadn't taken Private's things when they left for the funeral. Usually, the team cleared out all traces of a lost team mate's belongings. _But that doesn't make the pain go away. _He opened his eyes, which glistened with a thin film of unshed tears.

Kowalski picked up the Lunacorn again, hugging it to him as he tried to hold in his sobs. His throat started to get tight again and his shoulders shook with silent mourning. He squeezed the toy to him, imagining that he was hugging Private instead. An all too familiar voice filled the HQ.

"Hey K'walski," Private's voice said, laced with sorrow. The scientist immediately sat up and looked at the Lunacorn. It continued. "If you're wondering, I re-inserted its voice chip, which I reprogrammed. So yeah, I guess I did learn some tricks from you." Private's voice paused. Kowalski closed his eyes, tears leaking out as he imagined his young team mate speaking. He could almost see Private, his blue eyes looking at him with sadness and his blond head bowed.

"Anyways, I'm really sorry I can't be here with you anymore. But... it was something I had to do. You'll understand one day. This chip has a really small memory space, so I'm afraid I can't talk for much longer. But open up this Lunacorn's neck cavity. There's something for you. It's been great working with you, K'walski. Tell Skippah and Rico I love them. And thank you. For everything." Private's voice stopped, and the scientist looked up at the ceiling of the HQ, tears running down the sides of his face. It was a while before he found the strength to proceed. He looked down at the Lunacorn toy that Private had loved so much. The scientist put one pale hand on the toy's back and the other on its neck and pulled. The head came off easily to reveal a small hole.

A note was poking out.


	3. Receiving

**Hooray! Here's the last chapter of The Last Note. I probably _will_ be doing an epilouge, so keep your eyes out for that. Thanks for all the reviews and favorites, as always. Enjoy!**

Kowalski unrolled the small piece of paper, setting the Lunacorn gently aside.

_Dear Kowalski,_

_ Yes, I did get your letter all those years ago as Mr. Tux. And I really want to give you my sincere thanks for trying. But I can't follow through with your request. You see, when I got the note, I thought that I must have loved you a lot in order to sacrifice myself for you, as was implied. And that you must have cared enough about me in order to tell me not to come. And so I decided to enroll anyways. Because if I ended up caring about my fellow team members so much I would voluntarily give my life to save one of theirs, they were people worth knowing._

_ And they are._

_ You, Skipper, and Rico are my family now. I can't imagine living a life without ever knowing you three. I've learned so much from all of you, and I'm eternally grateful. Remember the time when you took me to see the Lunacorns on Ice? That was my favorite memory. It's not because you took me to see my favorite show in action, but because you showed me you cared. And I can't ever thank you enough for that._

_ I wouldn't abandon you guys for the world. And that's why, Kowalski, I can't follow your advice and let you die. As I walk into the battlefield today, just know that I'm doing this because I love you all._

_ And that I don't need a cottage in Nova Scottia to have a happy ending._

_Love,_

_Private_

Kowalski crumpled the note in his hand as he covered his eyes, trying to wipe away the tears that seemed to be falling non-stop. He couldn't save Private. He had done all he could, but it seemed like it was never enough.

_Darn it, Private, why can't you ever think about your own well-being?_

The scientist opened his eyes and sighed. He had no more tears to shed. He picked up the Lunacorn and held it in his lap. _I'm sorry. I couldn't save him._ The toy smiled back at him, as if it was trying to reassure him that it was okay.

There had to be _something_ he could do... Kowalski stared at the Lunacorn, as if it could magically come to life and tell him what to do. He sighed wistfully, stroking the doll's soft mane. Private's voice rang in his ears. _"The secret to a soft mane is fluffing each hair individually."_ The Lunacorn almost seemed to be remembering its owner, too.

_Do you miss him as much as I do?_ Kowalski thought. Suddenly, the man gave a jolt. He knew what he had to do. There was one last thing he could do for his dead comrade.

The scientist got up and entered his lab, bringing Private's Lunacorn with him. He stayed in there for hours, fixing the toy's every minute imperfection. He repainted chipped parts, disguised the seam on its neck, and determinedly fluffed every hair on the horse's mane and tail. By the time he was done, it was already dawn.

Kowalski climbed up the ladder of the HQ, armed with only the Lunacorn and a small wooden stick in his pocket. On the surface, pale light was spreading from the horizon. A chilly breeze swept in and ruffled the scientist's curly chestnut hair. His green eyes looked up at the pure white sky. _Are you up there, Private?_

Kowalski turned back to the Lunacorn. "Take care of him for me," he whispered. The little horned horse smiled back reassuringly. The soldier reached into his pocket and retrieved the match he had taken. He took a deep breath before swiping it on the toy and holding the tiny flame to the Lunacorn's tail. Kowalski set it down as the fire grew and consumed the horse in flames.

He watched the flame rise higher and change colors in a brilliant and mesmerizing display of red and orange. Under the heat, the Lunacorn shrunk and melted away. The last Kowalski saw of it was that smile, which seemed happier than he had ever seen it before. Or maybe he was just imagining it.

When the first vibrant rays of dawn appeared, the fire was already long gone, as well as the Lunacorn. A small pile of ashes lay on the cold cement. As if the spirits knew, a sudden breeze blew and Kowalski watched as the ashes spiraled up to the sky to meet Private.

"Bye, Private. I'll miss you," Kowalski murmured.

A faint British accent met his ears. "Thanks, K'walski. I'll see you later."

Kowalski closed his eyes, taking in Private's faint scent. He felt a warm presence hug him, and it was like his team mate was still alive, by his side again. He hugged back, wishing that the boy could stay forever. But by the time he dared open his eyes, Private was gone, and he was left standing alone, just a solitary figure taking in the sunrise.


	4. Reminiscing

**Woohoo! Here's the epilogue to The Last Note, making it my first finished multichapter! (Even if it is really short...) Anyways, I'd like to thank the following people for reading, reviewing, and possibly favoriting my story. I couldn't have done it without them, because after all, what is a writer without readers? Thank you, SkipperPrivate, the Columbian Crusade, sweety kneul, XxPenguinSoldierxX, Little Christian, Dinosaur-Fun, K TheEpicPenguin, Layra, the anonymous guest, Shadow Effect Lock, puppy-anime-luvr, lilyjay75, KowalSkip9, BloodyAlexy, and everyone else who read this. Enjoy!  
**

Kowalski entered his lab to find a young boy with black hair going through his things. He cleared his throat, trying hard to keep on a serious face when the boy turned, his green eyes wide from being discovered.

"Skipper," he called. "Looks like we've got a culprit. Caught in the act."

The leader came over and peeked inside, grinning. "James, how many times do we have to tell you not to go through Kowalski's stuff."

James put his hands up in defeat. "I know, I know. But..." He reached for something on Kowalski's desk, holding it up in the air. "...Since when does Kowalski like unicorns? And who's this kid?"

It was an old picture frame, the border decorated with smiling Lunacorns and rainbows. There was a picture of a young boy in his early teens, his head tilted to the side, smiling up at the man beside him. The boy's pale blue eyes twinkled and his messy blonde hair was being ruffled affectionately by a younger Kowalski, who was laughing.

Skipper's grin faltered a bit, and some emotion flashed in his icy blue gaze for a millisecond. Rico stumbled over from the bunks to see what the commotion was about. He poked his scarred head in, and the maniac grin on his face faded away, replaced by sorrow as he saw the picture. Kowalski smiled sadly, walking over to James and gently taking the photo from him.

The scientist looked at the picture of his comrade, remembering the boy's gentle ways. He reached into his pocket and drew out a silver chain, on which hung a small metal plate. He ran his fingers over the raised letters that spelled out his old comrade's name on the dog tag.

"He was an old team mate of ours," Kowalski said. Skipper and Rico entered the lab, gathering nearby. "His name was James, just like you. Everyone called him Private, though."

Kowalski looked at James, whose green eyes betrayed the shock he was feeling. Skipper cleared his throat, his usually energetic eyes downcast.

"Private was a good kid. Really sweet. I don't think he deserved this kind of harsh army life, but he had nowhere else to go. Either way, he was a first class soldier."

Rico nodded, closing his eyes in solemn agreement.

James spoke in a whisper. "So... what happened to him?"

Kowalski bit his lip, his eyes glistening. "He... during a battle, I got cornered by Hans. I thought I was going to die. And I would've. But... right as Hans pulled the trigger, Private... Private..." The scientist looked helplessly at Skipper, who nodded and continued for him.

"Private took the bullet for Kowalski. We tried to save him, but it was too late. We ended up losing the battle." Skipper looked at the gray ceiling. "But that was a couple years ago. And then, after about a year, we got you."

Kowalski looked at James. "You know, you remind me of him." He chuckled. It wasn't James' personality, since Private was about as far away from that as he could be. After all, Private was sweet and innocent, while James was curious and ambitious. But something about his eyes... Kowalski glanced at their new private's green eyes. They held the same sincerity and loyalty that Private's blue eyes once did.

The scientist suddenly jumped up and smiled. "Enough with that. You should see the looks on your faces! You all look like such downers. The last one to the snow cone stand is a rotten egg!" And with that, Kowalski dashed out of the lab, making his way out of the HQ. The three others sat still for a moment, stupefied, before grinning and rushing out of the HQ, pushing each other out of the way.

Private watched them from the blue sky overhead, smiling as he watched his former team mates roughhouse. They had found themselves another private, at last. He watched young James, his black hair flying and green eyes sparkling as he pushed his way to the front of the line. He would make a good addition to the team, for sure.

Private looked behind him as a voice interrupted his thoughts.

"Friends of yours?" The boy smiled at his Uncle Nigel, whose friendly green eyes reminded him of a certain scientist that he had once known.

"Yeah. But they'll be fine." He stood up and joined his uncle as they started walking back, a spring in his step. "Do you know if we have any leftover cake? I do believe it's about tea time."


End file.
